A big girl

Mara's giardia medicine is working!  She seems to be feeling better, regaining her appetite and has also gained a few pounds.  Thank goodness for the teaspoon compound the doctor prescribed for her (Mara is a girl of strong will & opinion.  She will try anything but if she doesn't like it, then adamantly rejects it.  The teaspoon size was just enough.  It must have tasted pretty awful though since her whole body shook afterwards.)

Now with what we hope an eradicated parasite from her intestine, she is off to bigger & better things.

Here, swinging on her own (graduating from a week ago of sitting on someone's lap) at our very own Rose Garden Library playground.  She also visited the library to look at all of the books and pointed out her favorite Olivia the pig series.

Her first dress-up and boy does she have a wardrobe to chose from: 4 different princessa dresses including one hand picked from her cousin Joe!

She constantly tries on things and looks in the mirror - here a birthday hat from Janelle's b-day party the weekend before.  And it's not just Mara - she insisted that Mommy and Daddy try it on too.  Such a happy, festive kid!!

Today she took her first steps alone!  She walked a little bit on her own at the foster home in Georgia but hasn't since we've been back.  Clare attributes it to her learning her environment and learning to trust us that we won't let her fall.  At first she was scared, requiring us to bribe her with cookies but after she tried it once and gained her confidence, there was no stopping her.  Then, later at the park she walked around for about an hour and insisted on pushing her own stroller.  What a big girl!!

And adventurous little girl, she came home to ask to ride on her new bike.  She has to learn how to use the pedals but was delighted with the movement.  What a big day!!

She is learning more & more English and has the cutest little voice when speaking, especially when she says "Biko", "love you", "good morning" (when we greet her in the morning) and "please" and "thank you" (a welcomed change from "hey").  She has also learned all of the body parts and door, window, table and chair.  She is counting to 10 and singing her A-B-C's. She is like a sponge!!